Short Film and Feature Animation branch set to add 37 new members, with 26 asked to join the Visual Effects branch.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended membership invitations to 398 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to motion pictures, including 37 in the Short Films and Feature Animation branch, and 26 in the Visual Effects branch.
According to the Academy, membership inclusion and equity remains a priority, and of the 2023 class, 40% identify as women, 34% belong to underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 52% come from 50 countries and territories outside the United States.
“The Academy is proud to welcome these artists and professionals into our membership,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang. “They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide.”
A selection of the 2023 invitees includes the following – click here for the complete list:
Short Films and Feature Animation
- Mahyar Abousaeedi – Turning Red, Incredibles 2
- Tom Berkeley – An Irish Goodbye, Roy
- Toni Bestard – Background, Foley Artist
- Kimberley Browning – Certified, Waiting for Ronald
- Alex Bulkley – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Hell and Back
- Bruno Caetano – Ice Merchants, The Peculiar Crime of Oddball Mr. Jay
- Dean Fleischer Camp – Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Catherine
- Kenneth A. Carlson – Diner Formal, Dating Avi
- Trent Correy – The Godfather of the Bride, Drop
- Joel Bryan Crawford – Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Croods: A New Age
- Claire Dodgson – Minions: The Rise of Gru, Despicable Me 3
- Fabian Driehorst – Night, The Chimney Swift
- David DuLac – Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, Happy Feet Two
- Maureen Fan – Namoo, Crow: The Legend
- Tiffany Frances – Dot, Hello from Taiwan
- João Gonzalez – Ice Merchants, Nestor
- Sara Gunnarsdóttir – My Year of Dicks, The Pirate of Love
- Mark Gustafson – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Fantastic Mr. Fox
- Travis Hathaway – Incredibles 2, Brave
- David Jesteadt – Inu-oh, Belle
- Daniel Mark Jeup – Finding Nemo, Toy Story 2
- Thomas Jordan – Lightyear, Up
- Charlie Mackesy – The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
- Ian Megibben – Lightyear, Soul
- Cyrus Neshvad – The Red Suitcase, The Orchid
- Jaime Ray Newman – Skin, Life, Unexpected.
- Richard O’Connor – My Friend Nearly Killed Patti Smith, Marianne
- Lachlan Pendragon – An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It, The Toll
- Jesús Pimentel Melo – Miramelinda, Un Bel Morir
- Emmanuel-Alain Raynal – Steakhouse, Easter Eggs
- David Ryu – Luca, Coco
- Nidia Santiago – Negative Space, Oh Willy…
- Mónica Santos – Between the Shadows, Amélia & Duarte
- Nelson Shin – Empress Chung, The Transformers: The Movie
- Eirik Tveiten – Night Ride, Other Lives
- Nathan Warner – Encanto, Zootopia
- Ross White – An Irish Goodbye, Roy
Visual Effects
- Gino Acevedo – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
- James Lee Baker – Eternals, Ant-Man and the Wasp
- A.J. Briones – War for the Planet of the Apes, Tomorrowland
- Nick Crew – The Adam Project, Captain Marvel
- Jubin Dave – Zootopia, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
- Pete Dionne – Pokémon Detective Pikachu, A Wrinkle in Time
- Arslan Elver – Peter Pan & Wendy, Christopher Robin
- Markus Frank – All Quiet on the Western Front, The School of Magical Animals
- Brian Gazdik – Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Ready Player One
- Seth Hill – Top Gun: Maverick, Welcome to Marwen
- Haresh Hingorani – Laal Singh Chaddha, Zero
- Kamil Jafar – All Quiet on the Western Front, Never Look Away
- Arek Komorowski – Terminator: Dark Fate, Captain America: Civil War
- Lana Lan – Kong: Skull Island, Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Woei Lee – Ad Astra, Blade Runner 2049
- Bryan Litson – Top Gun: Maverick, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
- Scott Macintyre – Saint Maud, Fighting with My Family
- Alexandre Julien Millet – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Beauty and the Beast
- Marla Inez Newall – Dungeons & Dragons: Honor among Thieves, Black Widow
- Jenni O’Byrne – Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Irishman
- Cristin Pescosolido – Master, Old
- Frank Petzold – All Quiet on the Western Front, The Legend of Tarzan
- Adriano Rinaldi – The Rescue, The Finest Hours
- P.C. Sanath – 5 Rupees, Baahubali: The Beginning
- Robert Winter – Moonfall, Army of the Dead
- Florian Witzel – Avengers: Endgame, Doctor Strange
Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Whitney is a freelance writer focusing on VFX-driven fantasy film & TV as well as preschool animation.
